Whether you’ve been personally affected or you’ve seen it on the news, floods, fires and cyclones have been a common occurrence for many Australians in recent years.
If you live in an area where cyclones can hit, or a flood or bushfire zone, you need to be prepared.
And, if you have a disability, there might be extra levels of planning you need to do.
That’s why the Flagstaff Group has developed a free emergency app to help people with disability to plan, prepare and, if needed, survive a natural disaster.
Available for iPhone and Android phones, the EMBER app prompts you to think about, plan and write down all the details you’ll need in an emergency. And, because it’s on your phone, it’s unlikely to be left behind or forgotten.
A second app – Nonverbal Communicator – has also been developed to provide people who are non-verbal with a series of images to help them to communicate during emergency situations.
There is also a communication board located on the EMBER app (under the tools menu). Communication boards are designed to improve the communication process by providing simple, recognisable images and symbols to help people who may not be able to speak because they are non-verbal or experiencing a health episode. You can also find more information about the communication board on the EMBER app website.
Developed in New South Wales (NSW), there are elements of the EMBER app that are specific for NSW residents (like useful numbers), but there are loads of other resources to support people with disability around the country, as well as their families and friends. The tools menu provides links to national apps like ABC Radio, which broadcasts emergency messages, the Fires Near Me Australia app and the National Relay Service app.
Find an average group of eight Australians, and at least one of them will be a carer. That’s about three million people across the country who are providing unpaid care and support to others.
Whether it’s adults caring for parents or relatives, siblings caring for siblings, or children and young people caring for parents or family members, carers not only enrich the lives of the people they support, but they also contribute an enormous amount to the Australian economy.
And of course, anyone can become a carer at any time.
Carers provide unpaid care and support to family members and friends – often people with disability or those who are ageing – but also people with mental health conditions, drug or alcohol addictions, chronic health conditions, and terminal illnesses.
Because they’re unpaid, carers are estimated to save the Australian economy and society almost $80 billion every year – at least, that’s what the Australian Government reported for 2020 alone. At the same time, carers and their families also bear significant costs. In the same year, the Draft National Strategy for the Care and Support Economy estimated that lost earnings of unpaid carers were $15.3 billion.
Run annually in October, National Carers Week recognises, celebrates and raises awareness about the caring role undertaken by people across the country. An initiative of Carers Australia, National Carers Week shines a light on the work carers perform and highlights the importance of ensuring carers themselves are supported.
So, what supports are out there for carers and how can we, as individuals and a community, help care for carers?
If you’re a carer you may be eligible for payments from the Australian Government if you’re unpaid and providing someone with full time care or daily support.
The Carer Payment is available if you provide constant care for someone, while the Carer Allowance is a supplementary payment if you provide daily care. You may be eligible for both payments.
These payments may also be paid to you alongside other payments you might receive, including the Disability Support Pension, Youth Allowance or Parenting Payment. You may also be eligible for the annual Carer Supplement.
If you care for a child with disability, there’s an annual payment for carers receiving the Carer Allowance, called the Child Disability Assistance Payment.
The Carer Adjustment Payment is a one-off payment for carers of a child younger than seven. The payment supports families with a child diagnosed with a severe medical condition or disability following a catastrophic event, where they demonstrate a strong need for financial help.
Find out more about payments available to carers here.
There are about 235,000 young carers aged under 25 years across the nation. Young carers often have the unique juggle of balancing their caring role while also studying or training – and sometimes, when caring takes priority, everything else can slip.
The Young Carer Bursary program, funded by the Australian Government and administered by Carers Australia, provides bursaries (grants specifically for study and training) to support young carers to continue with their education and reduce their need to undertake paid work at the same time as their study and caring duties.
Supporting young carers to remain in education or training – or return to their studies – can help their long-term prospects, improve employment opportunities, and recognise their identity outside of being a carer.
Carer Gateway has been designed especially to support carers. An initiative of the Australian Government, Carer Gateway provides free services in person, online or over the phone.
Its services include:
If you have different communication needs, Carer Gateway is accessible in a variety of forms, including:
Respite care gives both carers and the people they care for the chance to take a break. Whether it’s getting some rest, seeing some fresh faces, or meeting new people, it’s important for everyone to take time for themselves.
Carers who receive the Carer Allowance or Carer Payment can access 63 days of respite each year, without it affecting their payment. Respite may be planned or might be needed quickly in an emergency – for example, if a carer needs to go to hospital.
Read more about respite care here.
Are you a brother or sister who’s caring for your sibling with disability? Whatever your age, Siblings Australia has information and support for siblings (as well as parents and professionals).
Whether you’re looking for support and information, or you’ve been thrust into a role where you have more responsibility for your brother or sister and you need to think about future planning, Siblings Australia may be able to help.
Read our article about the supports available to siblings of people with disability here.
But what if you’re not a carer (yet), but you know someone who is?
National Carers’ Week has suggestions for providing practical and emotional support to the carers in your life.
You could:
Newsflash – with 3 million Australians being carers, it’s highly likely you’re employing people who clock off from their paid work with you and then leave to care for someone they love.
So, how can employers support carers?
Carers + Employers provides network membership and accreditation for businesses and organisations to become employers of choice for carers.
Here’s a fact sheet from the program with 10 tips for a carer friendly workplace. Want to know more? Click here.
Whether you’re a carer or you know a carer, National Carers Week – and every week – is the time to recognise the vital work unpaid carers do. From individual support, right up to nationwide impact, we wouldn’t be the community we are without carers.
Want to know more about carers in our country? Here are all the facts and figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
13 September 2024
Supported decision making is when one person (a supporter) gives another person (a decision maker) the tools and support they need to participate in decision making about their own life. It isn’t the same as having a person make decisions on behalf of another person.
Supported decision making can help the decision maker to build their skills in decision making and develop the confidence to decide more for themselves in the future.
A person who might need support with making decisions is someone whose ability to make independent decisions is affected. Their ability to make decisions could be affected by:
Sometimes people with disability haven’t had the chance to make their own decisions or to gain experience in decision making. Supported decision making is a way of providing a person with disability the opportunity to learn more about decision making and to exercise choice and control in their lives.
Anyone can be a support person if they have been chosen by the decision maker. A support person could be a trusted family member, friend, service provider or advocate.
A decision maker can have one or more supporters - and sometimes, a team of supporters - to assist them with decision making.
A good supporter, or team of supporters, will have respect for the decision maker, value that person’s independence and dignity, and know that person’s goals, values and preferences.
Supported decision making begins with the decision maker, their chosen supporter/s and a decision. The supporter/s will support the decision maker to:
There are many supported decision making resources available for decision makers and supporters. Here are some free, helpful ones we have found:
A rollator is a mobility aid that can be used for walking, sitting or standing. A standard walker is also suitable for mobility but is not as versatile and does not offer the same amount of support. The benefits of a rollator are that it's more stable, has a lower risk of falls and injuries, is easier to manoeuvre in tight spaces and offers an anti-tip design.
A rollator typically offers more comfortable seating options, better balance and stability than standard walkers, excellent manoeuvrability in tight spaces such as doorways and on stairs than standard walkers. It also allows the user to sit down without removing their feet from the footrests or worrying about the mobility aid tipping over. This makes getting around easier when needing to take breaks from walking.
If you or a family member is reaching the point where using a walker might be a consideration, there are several things to consider before investing in one. It can be hard to narrow down exactly which style is best for the situation with several different models available.
There are several advantages to choosing a rollator rather than a standard walker, but you should always discuss this with your health practitioner if you are unsure which one would be best.
There are a few signs that you might be ready to discuss using a walker, though it's understandable if you're shying away from the conversation. Whilst you should consult the options with your doctor, a few signs that it might be time to bring it up include:
Simply speaking, the most significant difference between a standard walker and a rollator is that a typical walker has four legs and it needs to be lifted with each step, while a rollator has 3 or 4 wheels, can be pushed along in front of the user and has a seat and storage.
There are many advantages to using a rollator over a standard walker, with most of those advantages circling back to the rollator walker's portability and ease of use.
While a rollator might not be well suited for everyone that needs a walker, it is undoubtedly a great choice if your situation allows for it.
If you need something that comes with you to help alleviate tiredness, a rollator is perfect. The wheels on this walker allow it to move quickly in front of you without forcing you to lift it with every step. This means that the need to steady yourself before lifting the walker is eliminated, letting you focus on the world around you rather than every single step.
Having wheels on each leg might make you nervous that the rollator could roll itself away from you, but this worry is gone with an easy to apply hand brake on every model. Lightly squeezing the handle applies the brakes as needed. Most models also have a parking brake that keeps the brake applied indefinitely.
Rollators are designed to move around with you, so the cords and wires that connect the brake to the wheels are often hidden inside the frame to avoid getting caught on anything.
Standard walkers are all the same shape and design, whereas a lightweight and compact unit like the rollator can fit into tighter spaces. In addition, the easily manoeuvrable design offers increased portability over the standard walker.
Walking upright has been shown to increase energy levels and promote easier breathing, so a rollator with a tall frame will help you move around better and feel better doing it. In addition, the adjustable height settings on a rollator mean that the unit can be used by a wide demographic.
Since you likely get fatigued quickly, having a seat available to take a rest whenever you need it will help you recover more quickly and maintain mobility longer. The ability to apply the brakes and sit at any moment is an advantage that most who use a walker can appreciate.
Many models come with all-terrain wheels, which allow for an easy transition between moving outdoors and taking the rollator indoors. In addition, rollator tyres are generally made of a non-marking material, so you can rest assured that the wheels won't scuff floors when you bring them inside. This versatility helps ensure you are comfortable and can enjoy a nomadic life both outdoors and in.
If you want to make the NDIS easier and maximise your child's funding, My Plan Manager is Australia's largest plan management service that helps thousands of parents with the NDIS.
Yes we can process your NDIS invoices, remove time-consuming paperwork and let you track your spending through the My Plan Manager Client Portal. But we also help you make sure that your child is getting the support that they need, and not missing out on important items that can really make a difference to their plan goals.
Rollators can provide necessary balance and stability for those at risk of falling and more evenly support body weight than other devices, like canes. Using a rollator may be helpful for you if you:
So, what is the best rollator? Unfortunately, there's no single "best rollator" in particular; it mostly depends on your personal needs and preferences. To know which type of rollator to get and how to find the best of its kind for you, you'll want to consider the following:
One of the first things you'll consider is whether to buy a three-wheel or four-wheel rollator. Both options have their strengths and weaknesses.
Three-wheel rollators are narrower, giving them a tighter turning radius and making it easier to fit through smaller passageways. Because of this, many people prefer them for indoor use. They're also more lightweight and portable. However, these rollators are less stable with only three wheels and don't come equipped with a seat.
Four-wheel rollators are more commonly preferred. Despite being more comprehensive and heavier than three-wheel rollators, they are more stable and accommodate a broader range of weights and heights. They also often come equipped with a convenient seat to rest on if you tire from walking.
In addition to the number of wheels on your rollator, you'll want to consider the size of the wheels' diameter. Most rollator wheels are between 6 and 10 inches, where wheels 8 inches or above are considered "large."
Many people find that a rollator with large wheels is the best rollator for them. Larger wheels allow you to better maneuver the rollator outdoors and over uneven terrain. Consider where you will be using your rollator: will you often need it outside or over different terrains? If that's a possibility, it's best to purchase a rollator with larger wheels.
If you think you'll mainly be using your rollator indoors, 6 to 7 inch wheels could be a better option. This is because you'll most often be moving over even ground, and smaller wheels have a tighter turning radius that is better for maneuvering your rollator inside.
If you prefer a rollator with a seat to rest on, you'll want to ensure it's comfortable. For optimum comfort, look for a rollator with a padded or sling seat. Unpadded plastic chairs, while easier to clean, can quickly become painful to sit on.
You will also want to pay attention to the seat dimensions. Most standard rollator seat widths run small, between 13" and 18", but the inside width of the rollator will be several inches wider.
The seat-to-floor height, or seat height, should allow you to sit comfortably without your feet dangling. To determine the height required, measure the length from the floor to the crease in the back of your knee while standing in everyday shoes. This measurement will indicate the seat-to-floor height you should look for in a rollator.
It can be helpful to purchase a rollator with an adjustable seat-to-floor height to make adjustments as needed.
To find the appropriate handle height, the user should stand in their regular shoes with their arms at their side and elbows bent slightly. Measure the distance between the floor and the centre of their wrist while in this position. This measurement will be the appropriate handle height for them. You may find that you need to purchase a rollator made specifically for taller or shorter people.
Most rollators will be height adjustable, but many users find that the best rollators have a wide adjustment range. That way, it can be adjusted to accommodate the user as required.
Your rollator should easily fit through frequently used doors and passageways. To ensure this, measure what you believe to be the narrowest space in your most frequented locations, such as your home, school, or workplace. Look for a rollator with an overall width of at least an inch or two less than this measurement. Most rollators will be between 56cm and 79cm wide.
The overall weight of the rollator can be substantial, especially if you'll need one that can be transported anywhere. A lightweight rollator is ideal for travelling and easily portable. Lightweight rollator frames are typically made with aluminium, allowing them to be as light as 5kg.
Other rollators can weigh up to 12kg, but if you aren't travelling with yours often, this may be suitable for you. Be sure to pay attention to the overall weight of potential rollators to find one that is best for your situation.
The rollator's weight capacity should also be considered to ensure that it can safely support the user. Standard rollators can typically support between 113 and 159kg. However, you may find that you need a heavy-duty rollator, which usually has a weight capacity between 181 and 227 kg.
You should also consider any accessories you may need or want for your rollator to make your mobility and access a little easier.
Most rollators come with a storage basket or pouch, so consider which would be best for you. Many people prefer a bag because it can collapse with the rollator and store items privately. While baskets store items visibly and have to be removed before collapsing the rollator, some prefer them for their ability to store more oversized items.
Other accessories may be available to purchase separately. For example, you may want a basket organiser or an organiser pouch to easily store smaller items such as your wallet or purse, mobile or food.
Most people find that the best rollators fold easily to be placed in a vehicle and be conveniently transported if necessary. Therefore, you'll likely want a folding rollator, especially if you plan on travelling with it.
You will want your rollator to last as long as you need it. The best way to ensure this is to purchase a rollator with readily available replacement parts. This way, if it becomes damaged in any way, you will only have to replace the damaged component rather than the entire rollator.
Sometimes, there will be a link to buying replacement parts right on the rollator's product page. If not, you may have to search the company's website for "replacement parts" or contact the company directly to determine if replacement parts are available for the rollator you're interested in.
Once you've decided that a rollator is the best mobility device for you, sorting through all of your options can get overwhelming. There are four main types of rollators: four-wheel, three-wheel, heavy-duty, and rollator/transport hybrid.
The four-wheel rollator is the most common type of rollator. As its name suggests it has four wheels: two that swivel in the front and two fixed wheels in the back. These rollators also feature padded seats to rest on, usually equipped with a storage pouch beneath the seat.
Three-wheel rollators have one wheel in the front and two wheels in the back, making them slimmer and more maneuverable and the most compact option. However, because they are narrow, these rollators cannot be equipped with seats, usually only come with a storage bag and are more prone to tipping.
Bariatric or heavy-duty rollators are made with more durable materials and bigger wheels. This makes them heavier but also more durable and better able to support higher weights safely. These rollators usually have weight capacities of up to 227kg.
These devices allow for the rollator to be transformed into a transport chair when needed easily. As a result, users can walk independently or be pushed by someone else with one cost-effective device rather than purchasing a rollator and a transport chair. These can be especially beneficial for those recovering from surgery or injury, who only need to be pushed by someone else in the early stages of recovery before transitioning to a rollator.
In addition to materials, some wheelchairs may offer part variations and different accessories that you can choose. Each choice will depend on your needs and preferences.
When you get your rollator, the first thing you should do is ensure that the seat and handle height settings are adjusted to your needs. While you've likely purchased the proper rollator for your height and weight, it may need to be adjusted slightly to better suit you. You may also find that the right height for you differs from what you measured.
If your rollator's seat height is adjustable, make that adjustment first. Then, adjust the handles to a comfortable size that allows you to push the rollator without bending forward or bending your elbows too much.
To properly walk with a rollator, follow these steps:
Do NOT use a rollator to go up or down stairs.
To properly sit on your rollator, follow these steps:
To properly stand after sitting on your rollator, follow these steps:
No, it is not safe to push users in most rollators. However, if you need a rollator and need to be pushed by someone else on occasion, we recommend purchasing a rollator/transport hybrid. These rollators transform into transport chairs, allowing you to push someone in them.
Yes, rollators are considered "Assistive Devices" by the Australian government and are allowed on aeroplanes. Because your rollator is an assistive device, it will not be counted toward your carry-on or baggage limit. Therefore, you will not have to pay an extra fee if you check it with your luggage.
How does My Plan Manager work?
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a scheme for people with disabilities and their families. The NDIS provides services and support to those who need them to live an ordinary life.
It's designed to ensure that no one misses out on the help and support they need to do everyday things. But what does this mean? What sort of assistance will be given?
Children with a disability, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental delay or other additional needs need various support for their development. Support can include things like early intervention, community health services, playgroups and much more.
The people who provide this support are called disability service providers. If you have a child with a disability, ASD or other additional needs, you need to choose the right disability service providers for your child. You might work with one or many service providers.
The best service providers for your child will be the ones who meet your child's specific needs.
When you're choosing service providers, it's good to meet providers face to face. You can often get more information this way, plus a better sense of whether service professionals are listening to you and trying to understand your needs and goals.
It's OK to visit services more than once before choosing or to ask to meet with several different professionals within the service.
You can work out which disability service providers meet your child’s needs by thinking and asking about:
These are questions about how service providers can help you, what you can get from the providers, and when to expect the help your child needs. Here are some questions you can ask:
These are questions about the practical side of using service providers and whether services suit your child and family. Here are some questions for you to think about:
These are questions about the quality of service providers. Here are some questions you can ask:
If you want to make the NDIS easier and maximise your child's funding, My Plan Manager is Australia's largest plan management service that helps thousands of parents with the NDIS.
Yes we can process your NDIS invoices, remove time-consuming paperwork and let you track your spending through the My Plan Manager Client Portal. But we also help you make sure that your child is getting the support that they need, and not missing out on important items that can really make a difference to their plan goals.
Once you’ve visited or spoken to the disability service providers you’re considering, you could draw up a list of pros and cons to help you decide which service providers might suit your child best.
If you’re still not sure after comparing the pros and cons, it’s OK to:
Sometimes you might decide on a service provider and get started, but then you realise that the service provider isn’t right for you after all. That’s OK – you can change providers.
Your child’s NDIS providers should give your child and your family supports and services that are:
To ensure that your child gets good-quality services and supports, NDIS providers should:
To ensure that your child gets respectful services and supports, NDIS providers should:
To ensure that your child gets safe services and supports, NDIS providers should:
Safety is also about protecting your child from harm, including physical violence, verbal aggression, sexual abuse, insults, humiliation and neglect.
The law says that NDIS providers must take all reasonable steps to prevent these forms of harm from affecting your child.
All NDIS providers are regulated by an Australian Government agency called the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. The NDIS Commission makes sure NDIS providers and their workers follow the rules and requirements outlined in the NDIS Code of Conduct.
To do this, the NDIS Commission:
The NDIS Commission can take action against registered or unregistered NDIS providers or workers who aren't treating people the way the NDIS Code of Conduct says they should.
For example, the NDIS Commission can ban providers from working with NDIS participants.
The NDIS Commission can also take action against registered NDIS providers who aren’t following the NDIS Practice Standards.
NDIS providers are organisations and people that supply supports and services to NDIS participants like your child.
NDIS providers can be companies, charities or not-for-profit organisations. They can also be individuals.
Registered providers are registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, which regulates all NDIS providers.
Unregistered providers aren’t registered with the NDIS Commission.
The critical thing about NDIS providers being registered or unregistered is that it affects who can use them. And this depends on how you manage your child’s NDIS funds.
Some but not all NDIS providers must register with the NDIS Commission. But being registered or unregistered shouldn’t affect the level of support or quality of service that your child gets from providers.
Both registered and unregistered providers must:
The NDIS has the extra quality and safety requirements for registered providers. They must:
The NDIS Commission makes sure all NDIS providers work according to NDIS rules and requirements. To do this, the NDIS Commission:
The NDIS Commission can take action against registered or unregistered NDIS providers or workers who aren't treating people the way the NDIS Code of Conduct says they should. For example, the NDIS Commission can ban NDIS providers from working with NDIS participants.
The NDIS Commission can also take action against registered NDIS providers who aren’t following the NDIS Practice Standards.
You and your child can expect quality, respect and safety from NDIS providers. It’s always OK to speak up if you’re unhappy with:
It’s best to start by raising your concern with your child’s NDIS provider. For example, ‘Thanks for telling me about Xander’s progress. But Xander and I would feel more comfortable if you use their preferred pronoun when you talk about them’.
If you’re not happy with the way the NDIS provider responds to your complaint, you can make a complaint to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
You can also go straight to the NDIS Commission if you feel safe or comfortable complaining to the NDIS provider.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission is the government agency that regulates NDIS providers and handles complaints about them.
You can complain to the NDIS Commission about an NDIS provider in two ways:
When you make your complaint, you’ll need to tell the NDIS Commission:
You can give evidence to the NDIS Commission to support your complaint – for example, photographs or reports.
It's also a good idea to think about what you want to happen. For example, do you want to work with the NDIS provider to sort out the problem, or do you want penalties imposed? Severe penalties include de-registering providers and banning workers and service providers.
You can withdraw your complaint at any time. And you can ask the NDIS Commission to keep your identity confidential, but this might make it harder to resolve your complaint.
The NDIS Commission can arrange an interpreter to help you make a complaint if you need one.
After you make a complaint, someone from the Quality and SafeNDIS guards Commission will contact you. This person will confirm the details of the complaint and ask you how you want it resolved. They'll get the NDIS provider only if you say they can.
The NDIS Commission might help you sort out the complaint by:
Actions against NDIS providers can include bans from working with NDIS participants.
Friends or family members can support you with complaints about your child’s NDIS provider. For example, they might listen to your thoughts, go to meetings with you or help you fill out forms.
You can also get support from a volunteer or paid advocate, who can explain the law and your child’s rights. This person can go to meetings with you too. You can use the Disability Advocacy Finder to find an advocate close to you. You can also find advocacy services in your area by contacting your local community centre, local council, library or neighbourhood house. Your local disability service should also be able to help.
How does My Plan Manager work?
The capacity building budget contains nine support categories that all are aimed helping you to be more independent and live your best life. The other two types types of budgets are core supports and capital supports, and they cover expenses related to your day-to-day care and equipment or modifications. Together, these three supports budgets help you work toward the goals in your NDIS plan.
The NDIA will assess your needs during your planning meeting or plan review meeting to determine what capacity building supports might be considered reasonable and necessary. Your planner or LAC will use your short- and long-term goals listed in your NDIS plan to fund supports to achieve those goals and live a more independent life. For example, if one of your goals is to develop your skills in cooking and healthy diets, your plan might include the 'increased social and community support' budget to fund cooking classes.
Your goals are very important in determining what you can purchase out of your capacity building support budget as it’s not flexible like the core support budget. You can find out more about NDIS plans in NDIS category confusion and NDIS Dictionary: Breaking down the jargon.
Read on to learn about the categories that make up the capacity building support budget.
You can claim support coordination services from this budget. Support coordinators help you put your plan in action and organise your supports. They can help you to build connections with the community and broader systems of support; develop and design support options to help you work towards your goals; and work with you to prepare for review and report on what you’ve achieved. Read our tips for choosing a support coordinator that's right for you.
This funding is for help for you to find suitable accommodation to live more independently, and could cover someone to assist you with inspecting properties or negotiating your contract. Supports may including assistance with applying for a rental property, meeting tenancy obligations and ensuring the home is appropriate for your needs.
This is to pay for support to help you build your skills in accessing the community. This may include funding a mentor or therapist to assist with learning skills for independence in the community.
This category of funding can be used to pay for tuition fees, art classes, sports coaching and similar activities that build skills and independence. You can use this category to pay for camps, classes and vacation activities that have capacity-building components. Activity-based transport is also included.
Funding to support you to find a job and have assistance in your work. This budget can pay for a support worker to assist you at your job or helping you to find a job that’s right for you, including on-the-job training to assist you manage the demands of the job.
Other options may include life and work coaches, private recruitment specialists, career counsellors and employment mentors.
Supports to help build your skills to connect and build relationships in your community. This could include funding to pay for someone to help you build your social skills or behavioural therapy services.
Services that improve your health and wellbeing, like a personal trainer, exercise physiologist or dietitian to improve your skills in maintain your own health and wellbeing.
Access to services that will help you to transition from school to further education. This budget could fund a support worker to help you to go to university or TAFE.
This budget pays for your plan manager. All you need to do have funding for a plan manager is request it in your planning or review meeting. Your plan manager will take care of all the financial administrative work from your NDIS plan and if they are a good plan manager, they will have handy technology and a team of NDIS experts to help you get the most out of your NDIS plan. Find out more about what a plan manager does.
Funding to cover your therapies and other programs to build your capacity to reduce the impact of your disability. This could be a physiotherapist, speech pathology, occupational therapy or any other therapy that assists you to become more independent with your daily living tasks.
The NDIA has recently announced that the three support budgets (core, capital and capacity building) will eventually be replaced with only two types: fixed and flexible. These changes will be phased in from the later half of 2021, as current plans end and new plans start. So if you are due for a new plan, expect it to be in the new format of fixed and flexible. Read more in Coach Amelia's explanation on Kinora.
To find out more about the other types of funding or other NDIS lingo check out NDIS Category Confusion or NDIS Dictionary: Breaking down the jargon.
If you have any queries about how to use your funding please contact us via phone or email and we will be more than happy to assist.
This budget covers higher-cost assistive technology items and equipment, home or vehicle modifications, and other one-off purchases. The other two types types of supports budgets are core supports and capacity building supports, and they cover expenses related to your day-to-day care and building skills and capability. Together, these three supports budgets help you work toward the goals in your NDIS plan.
Capital support has two budget categories: assistive technology and home modifications. Some assistive technology and equipment - low-cost and low-risk items - are claimed out of the consumables category in the core budget, which is flexible. The capital supports budget is not flexible and usually will only fund specific pieces of equipment or modifications which were discussed in your planning meeting and have been approved in your plan by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
This category covers specialised technology or equipment to assist to live more independently, like:
This category covers funding for structural modifications to be made to your home to make it easier for to you live your everyday life, where your disability creates barriers. This may include modifications to your kitchen, entrance or bathroom equipment.
This budget will include funding to pay for the assessment, delivery and set up, adjustment and maintenance costs associated with your home modification project.
This budget will also cover specialist accommodation for participants with very high needs who need specialist housing for their delivery of services.
The NDIA is usually very specific in how to spend your funding for assistive technology or home modification. In your planning meeting your planner or LAC will discuss with you how you can purchase items out of the budget and where you could purchase these from. If capital supports are needed, the LAC or planner will usually add the capital supports category to the plan pending a quote. This means you need to get a quote from provider (such as the store where you will buy your assistive technology, or the builder who will do your home modification). You then need to send the quote to the NDIA for approval before the funding can be made available to purchase the equipment, or start the project. Funding for repairs and maintenance may also be included.
The NDIA has recently announced that the three support budgets (core, capital and capacity building) will eventually be replaced with only two types: fixed and flexible. These changes will be phased in from the later half of 2021, as current plans end and new plans start. So if you are due for a new plan, expect it to be in the new format of fixed and flexible. Read more in Coach Amelia's explanation on Kinora.
To find out more about the other types of funding or other NDIS lingo check out NDIS Category Confusion or NDIS Dictionary: Breaking down the jargon.
If you have any queries about how to use your funding please contact us via phone or email and we will be more than happy to assist.
Service agreements sound complicated but really their purpose is quite simple: to put in writing the details of the service you will receive, an agreed payment amount and any other responsibilities you might expect of each other.
Service agreements are mandatory for registered providers, so you probably already have a few in place. If you have a plan manager, you are able to use non-registered providers. Service agreements are optional for non-registered providers, but that doesn’t mean you can’t ask your provider to have one in place.
When you use your National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding to pay a provider for supports, you are entering into an arrangement with each other. So this agreement already exists, it’s just not written down, which can mean that the details of your agreement can be open to interpretation. A service agreement puts everything in writing so both parties have a clear understanding of what supports will take place and how they will be delivered.
Some providers may be open to negotiating the cost of their services and a service agreement is a good way of putting down in writing the agreed cost for your supports.
Usually, a service agreement will cover:
A service agreement is in place to protect both you and your provider, so the terms need to be fair and understandable by all parties involved.
Service agreements can be particularly useful for services that are tailored or personalised to your needs, for example, support work. You can use the agreement to be specific about what you expect about things like, the tasks you need help with, what happens if you or the support worker need to cancel or who is responsible for covering travel costs and in what circumstances. A service agreement for cleaning might include things like who provides the cleaning products, whether there are any off-limits areas you don’t want cleaned, or what happens if either you or the cleaner need to cancel the booking. The service agreement is yours as well as the provider’s, so you can ask to negotiate or add in terms that are important to you. Some providers will be more flexible about this than others.
It’s important that you understand what you are agreeing to, and providers should be considerate about giving you the information in the language or way of communicating that you understand. It’s your right to ask questions about any part of the service agreement before you sign.
A family member, trusted friend or support worker can help you understand the terms of the agreement, but without formal authorisation, they can’t sign the agreement.
Remember, you don’t have to sign a service agreement if you’re not comfortable with what it says. If you want help understanding a service agreement or you’re uncomfortable with the terms of a service agreement, you can ask for help from a disability advocacy group or support coordinator or local area coordinator (LAC), or contact the National Disability Insurance Agency or NDIS Commission. No service agreement can override the NDIS Code of Conduct.
A service agreement must be made between the client and the provider. The agreement can only be signed by the client themselves or a decision maker with the power to sign on their behalf. This might be a parent or other plan nominee, guardian, administrator (or financial manager) or an attorney if the terms of the agreement are within their legal authority.
It’s also a good idea to keep a copy of the signed agreement for future reference.
Remember, you have the choice and control over your supports and how your provider’s services will help meet your needs. If you’re looking to reassess your needs or search for a new provider we have an article about this very topic.
A support coordinator can play an important part in your National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) journey, and that's because their role is to help you to make the best use of the supports in your NDIS plan.
Whether you've got access to plenty or few in your area, you'll want to know how to choose the right support coordinator for you and your circumstances.
Let's dive in to how funding for support coordination works, what makes a good support coordinator, and where you can find one.
Not every participant will benefit from or need to work with a support coordinator. In determining whether to include funding for a support coordinator in your plan, the NDIS will consider if support coordination is reasonable and necessary for you to pursue your goals, as well as the support you receive from family, friends, and other community and government services.
If funding for a support coordinator is approved, you'll find it in your Capacity Building Supports budget.
There are three levels of support coordination that can be included in your plan:
Support coordinators need to be NDIS-registered providers, so they can’t charge more for the type of support coordination included in your plan than the rate specified in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits.
The NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits lists the maximum amount a provider can charge you for a service under the Scheme. If you’re able to negotiate a cheaper price with your provider, you can - and this means you'll be able to get more out of your allocated funding.
Everyone has different needs and requires different levels of support, so finding a support coordinator who works well with you is an entirely personal decision. Here are a few key questions to ask when choosing a support coordinator:
At My Plan Manager, we like to keep the choice and control firmly in the hands of our clients, so we don’t recommend providers directly. But we can certainly help you find the information you need to make you own decisions about providers.
Try looking at our list of the top NDIS provider search directories to help you find service providers in your local area. Or, check out our free online community, Kinora, where you can source wisdom from the crowd by asking for recommendations.
